4.29.2010
Matthew 16:23 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” ESV
“Uh, excuse me Lord; what did You just call me!?” Peter heard right, Jesus had just called him Satan; it meant, adversary or one who is opposed. Adversarial opposition to God is going to get us into big trouble every time. It sure got a backhand across Peter’s ego… but it also got his attention and was a teaching moment for him. Peter was laboring under his preconceived notions of who Jesus was and what He was doing. Jesus thumped him for it and he never forgot it.
Teaching moments may be excruciating but they are very important. I’m learning to embrace them for both how they are and what they are, no matter how I feel when they are. God is more interested in my getting the message than my feeling good about it all. A little passing embarrassment goes a long, long way to make a permanent point.
It’s not that I won’t make mistakes again, but the pain of past mistakes makes me think about my present conduct. David prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23-24 ESV) The searching and knowing process can painfully reveal the grievous, but it leads to the way everlasting! That’ what I want!
Father in Heaven,
As David prayed, so do I - Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! I know the process is often painful and embarrassing but I’d rather have that and live forever, than avoid it and be shut out of the Kingdom forever – in Jesus’ Name, amen.
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